CA1283533C - Shapemeter - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A rotor module for a shapemeter comprising a central arbor linked to a non-rotatable ring surrounding the arbor by at least one web and an outer cylinder rotatable on bearings on the ring and means carried by the arbor to cooperate with the inner surface of the ring to detect relative movement between the arbor and the ring in response to a force applied to the cylinder at a predetermined position in order to provide output signals representative of such movements.

Description

3~3 SHAPEMETER
This invention relates to a shapemeter for continuously detecting and indicating the shape of metallic strips during a rolling operation. The invantion also provides a rotor module for such shapemeter.

In the rolling of metallic strip "shape" means a variation in width-wise tension when the strip is held in lengthwise tension. Thus "shape" refers to deviations of flatness of the strip in more than one direction. Poor flatness or "shape" results from imperfect rolling at an earlier stage and, unless remedial action is taken, is manifested in the finished product. By using a shapemeter lack of flatness may be detected and remedial action taken during the rolling operation.

A shapemeter usually has a number of concentric rotary sleeves arranged transversely to the passline of the strip and engaged under tension by the moving strip which is arranged to have a small "wrap" around the sleeves.
Variations in shape are detected by sensing the load applied to individual sleeves, an instantaneous display of these individual loads indicating the flatness profile or shape of the strip then in contact with the shapemeter. Signals from the shapemeter representative of these individual loads may be used to control automatically the rolling operation, as by varying roll profile, or the degree and location of bad shape as indicated by the display may be int~rpreted to effect manual control of the rolling operation.

Numerous designs of shapemeters have been proposed in the past and some, such as that described in U.K. patent 1160112 are in successful useO In most earlier constructions the sleeves are carried on a mandrel and supported on air or roller bearings and the relative , ~
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~8~S33 deflections of the sleeves are detected either by sensing changes in air pressure or by the use of other forms of load cletector.

All existing shapemeters require very high tolerances to be maintained during construction resulting in very expensive instruments. Furthermore most current designs limit the minimum width to which a rotor can be manufactured thu limiting the number of rotors for a particular axial length of shapemeter and this, in turn, limits the resolution of measurement.

Accordiny to an aspect of the invention, a rotor module for a shapemeter comprises a central arbor secured to a non-rotatable ring surrounding the arbor and an outer hollow oylinder rotatable on bearings on the ring in which the arbor is secured to the ring solely by two webs which are in substantial alignment and means to detect relative movement between the arbor and the ring in response to a force applied to the cylinder at such a position as to cause the webs to bend in order to provide output signals representative of such movement and in which means detects a variation in a gap between the ring and the arbor at a location adjacent said position.
According to another aspect of the invention, a shapemeter comprises a plurality of rotor modules each comprising a central arbor secured to a non-rotatable ring surrounding the arbor in an outer hollow cylinder rotatable on bearings on the ring, the arbors being joined to~ether so that their associated cylinders are concentric, in which each arbor is secured to its ring solely by two webs which are in substantial alignment and means are provided to detect relative movement between the arbor and the ring of each module in response to a force applied to the cylinder of that module at such a .; ~
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~2l33~33 position as to cause the webs to bend in order to provide output signals represantative to such movement.

The above and oth~r aspects of the present in~ention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a side view of a shapemeter, Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1 to a larger s~ale and Fiyure 3 is a part section on the line III-III of Figure 2.
Referring to the drawings a shapemeter, indicated generally at 1, comprises a series of rotor modules 2 carried between end plates 3 having trunnions 4 carried by supports 5 on a carrier beam 6.
Each module 2 has a stationary arbor 7 of dumbbell shape ~ormed with a central bore 8, ~oined by opposed webs 9 to a ring 10 which is spaced from arcuate surfaces 11 on the arbor 7. An outer cylinder 12 is rotatable on roller bearings 13 carried by the ring 10.

A plurality of modules are joined axially by bolts 14 passing through the end plates 3, and the arbors 7, so that the assembly is rigidly mounted with each outer cylinder separately rotatable~ It will here be understood that the axial lengths of each cylinder 12 are slightly less than the axial lengths of the arbors 7 so that the cylinders are freely rotatable.

As shown in Figure 2 the shapemeter is mounted so that a rolled strip 15 passes under tension over the cylinders , . .

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' 33~33 12. Each cylinder is therefore subjected to a vertical load which causes the webs 9 to bend and narrows the gap batween the inner surface of the ring 10 and the adjacent surface llo This movement may be measured by sensors such as 16 carried by the arbor 7. The sensors may, for example, detect a change in capacitance between the inner surface of the cylinders 12 and the surface 11.
Alternatively strain gauges 17 may be provided on the : webs 9.

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Claims (4)

1. A rotor module for a shapemeter comprising a central arbor secured to a non-rotatable ring surrounding the arbor and an outer hollow cylinder rotatable on bearings on the ring in which the arbor is secured to the ring solely by two webs which are in substantial alignment and means to detect relative movement between the arbor and the ring in response to a force applied to the cylinder at such a position as to cause the webs to bend in order to provide output signals representative of such movement and in which means detects a variation in a gap between the riny and the arbor at a location adjacent said position.

2. A shapemeter comprising a plurality of rotor modules according to claim 1 having their arbors joined together so that the cylinders of each module are concentric.

3. A shapemeter comprising a plurality of rotor modules each comprising a central arbor secured to a non-rotatable ring surrounding the arbor in an outer hollow cylinder rotatable on bearings on the ring, the arbors being joined together so that their associated cylinders are concentric, in which each arbor is secured to its ring solely by two webs which are in substantial alignment and means are provided to detect relative movement between the arbor and the ring of each module in response to a force applied to the cylinder of that module at such a position as to cause the webs to bend in order to provide output signals representative to such movement.

4. A shapemeter according to claim 3 in which said means detects a variation in a gap between each ring and its associated arbor at a location adjacent said position.